ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

[woz411]

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/21368/review-mlb-12-the-show-better-than-ever

Extremely good review of the game

[DamnYanks2]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

That will most likely be the best review we will see, that guy knows baseball, and that was a very impressive, thorough review. He pointed out a flaw that was justified too. Thanks for sharing..

[woz411]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

That will most likely be the best review we will see, that guy knows baseball, and that was a very impressive, thorough review. He pointed out a flaw that was justified too. Thanks for sharing..

agree with that 100%

also
thanks

[nemesis04]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

"This feature fails for two reasons: First, it gives you a throbbing headache after about two innings of staring at it, but more importantly your opponent can see exactly how close each pitch came to its ideal location as both players see the size of the pulsating meter around the ball. The player who is batting, seeing a wide meter around the baseball as the pitch is being delivered, instantly knows that the command of the pitch will be poor and is therefore given a clear sign that he doesn't need to swing. This is not a factor with the traditional pitching meter but in the case of Pulse Pitching, when both players are focused on the strike zone, it seems the video equivalent of the guy in the white T-shirt in Toronto's center-field bleachers: a giveaway."

I actually brought up something similar to this at CD because in a 2 player game I knew which pitch was coming based on the size of the circle and the state of the individual pitch confidence. Actually all you have to do is turn off your individual pitch confidence and your opponent cannot correlate the two of them.

As far as the sentence in bold is concerned that is not always the case and actually the pitch can be extremely hittable. So just because your opponent did not get good command of the pitch does not mean you have an automatic ball when in actuality you could end up with a very good pitch to drive. Just some thoughts on the subject.

[bcruise]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

"This feature fails for two reasons: First, it gives you a throbbing headache after about two innings of staring at it, but more importantly your opponent can see exactly how close each pitch came to its ideal location as both players see the size of the pulsating meter around the ball. The player who is batting, seeing a wide meter around the baseball as the pitch is being delivered, instantly knows that the command of the pitch will be poor and is therefore given a clear sign that he doesn't need to swing. This is not a factor with the traditional pitching meter but in the case of Pulse Pitching, when both players are focused on the strike zone, it seems the video equivalent of the guy in the white T-shirt in Toronto's center-field bleachers: a giveaway."

I actually brought up something similar to this at CD because in a 2 player game I knew which pitch was coming based on the size of the circle and the state of the individual pitch confidence. Actually all you have to do is turn off your individual pitch confidence and your opponent cannot correlate the two of them.

As far as the sentence in bold is concerned that is not always the case and actually the pitch can be extremely hittable. So just because your opponent did not get good command of the pitch does not mean you have an automatic ball when in actuality you could end up with a very good pitch to drive. Just some thoughts on the subject.

I would assume that during online play, like in previous years, the pitching interface doesn't show up when you're batting? So this wouldn't be an issue there?

[nemesis04]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

I would assume that during online play, like in previous years, the pitching interface doesn't show up when you're batting? So this wouldn't be an issue there?

Nope not at all. Just an issue in side by side game.

[Doormat]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

Funny, it's exactly the same thing I told my friend today while I was walking with him.

"This game is better than ever, and feels much different in a good way"
Gotta love ESPN and their gaming reviews.

[Foo4Everlong]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

Totally agree with the inaccuracy of the rosters from pitch repotoire to player accessories to batting stances and pitch deliveries to batting and fielding attributes to player info like height and weight. SCEA needs a "Rating Czar" like Madden has to get these Rosters up to par. I would be willing to offer my services! It's my favorite part of the game...working with the rosters! Later

[Bronk_Bonin]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

"The Show is a series that strives for authenticity yet pitcher repertoires is one area the developers consistently seem to miss their mark. In 2011 Boston's Daniel Bard threw 68.7 percent fastballs, 24.8 percent sliders and 6.5 percent changeups. Bard's weapons were essentially a four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball and a slider. As the numbers prove, he rarely threw a changeup and often limited himself to just the four-seamer or slider in a game's most crucial points. In MLB 12 The Show, however, Bard has FIVE pitches: four-seam fastball, slider, cutter, two-seam fastball and a circle change. Bard admits he'll have to mix in more two-seam fastballs and changeups as he moves from the Red Sox bullpen to the rotation but five pitches for a guy who essentially has relied on two is a swing and a miss at realism. It gets worse.

In 2011, Mariners closer Brandon League threw 67.4 percent sinkers, 21.3 percent split-finger fastballs and 11.3 percent sliders. With two strikes, League went to his splitter a whopping 40 percent of the time. It is his big "out pitch" and one of the effective splitters in baseball; except in MLB 12 The Show, where both League's splitter and sinker don't exist. Nor does the cut fastball of Diamondbacks reliever Bryan Shaw, which earlier this spring Arizona closer J.J. Putz compared to Mariano Rivera's. Last season, 58.3 percent of all pitches thrown by Shaw were cut fastballs. MLB 12 The Show does not include a cutter among Shaw's three pitches, unfortunate for a pitcher who in last season's NLDS spotlight appeared in four games and faced 13 batters without giving up a base hit.

This is not just a pitch selection issue. Cleveland’s Vinnie Pestano last season had an immensely effective combination of 79.9 percent fastballs and 20.1 percent sliders. Pestano's fastball, which is actually a cutter, averaged 92.6 miles per hour and maxed at 95.5 mph. In MLB 12 The Show, not only does Pestano not possess a cutter, his four-seam fastball is just 88 mph. Pestano joked during our Twitter conversation, "Don't know whats more upsetting ... that my 2 seamer is harder than my 4 or my pitching clutch is only 54. #pickitupdigitalme." Pestano's fellow Indians reliever Joe Smith joked, "That's what you get for being a righty specialist."

Smith enjoys The Show series but is used to seeing his digital repertoire miss the mark. In 2011, the real Smith threw 69 percent sinkers and 31 percent sliders. In MLB 12 The Show, Smith's video game version doesn't possess a sinker. He's instead been given a four-seam fastball and a changeup, two pitches he doesn't throw. "With guys who have been around for a few years and the big names in the game they are pretty accurate," said Smith. "Young guys seem to have to 'pay their dues' so to speak before they give them really high ratings. But I would say all in all they do an excellent job."

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This is a huge pet peeve of mine as well. Thanks to Knight and company for their hard work to edit pitches per pitcher. I wish the pitchers would by default, have their correct repertoire and pitch according to their real life counterparts.

[EnigmaNemesis]

Pitching repertoire is a non issue for those of us who use OSFM.

While agreed about some inaccuracies, one of the MLB players made a good point, most well known are right, when others become more known, they end up getting fixed.

So glad the game is customizable.

[DetroitStyle]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

Man, they really hammered the show on, what is essentially, player ratings. I guess that's why we have the community rosters to correct that lol.

[bobeureally27]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

I'm not calling out anyone for nitpicking about the inaccurate pitch selections, but...if the only real major complaint people have is the inaccurate pitch selections, this will be one heck of a game as always.

[PsychoBulk]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

I'm not calling out anyone for nitpicking about the inaccurate pitch selections, but...if the only real major complaint people have is the inaccurate pitch selections, this will be one heck of a game as always.

Beat me to it, i was about to pretty much say the same thing.

If thats the biggest thing anyone can really find to groan about, then that tells you all you need to know about this game

[EnigmaNemesis]

Beat me to it, i was about to pretty much say the same thing.

If thats the biggest thing anyone can really find to groan about, then that tells you all you need to know about this game

Agreed, also my only complaint was on Pulse Pitching. Instead of attacking it in a 2-player environment of the same screen, which I bet is a much smaller demographic than 1-player Franchise... tell us how it is a best of both worlds of player input and ratings.

Headaches aside of course (which I don't experience).

[garyjr33]

Re: ESPN:Review: MLB 12 The Show better than ever

I was just about to post this...solid review.